Future Friday: If robots do the easy stuff what will we do?

More and more we hear more and more about robots taking work away from humans in the future. Some prognosticators say this will be disastrous for humans, for example, Elon Musk’s tweet that artificial intelligence may be more dangerous than nuclear weapons. Futurist Ray Kurzweil, on the other hand, is more optimistic. He feels that new jobs will be created to replace the ones lost to robots. But this raises the question, if robots are going to be doing the transactional jobs what jobs will be left? An even bigger question is what skills will be necessary for humans to perform those jobs of the future?

Keeping it human

The key to many jobs in the future will be the human component that robots, as of yet, cannot do. I wrote about this previously in several posts, but especially in Future Friday: Being Human in a Machine Age and in Future Friday: Nine Critical Skills for the Future of HR. At the end of December 2013 writer Darlene Damm wrote Future of Work: What Skills Will Help Us Keep Pace? in which she says technical skills are important it is the “human” skills that are going to be most important in the future. She says these skills “are the changemaking skills of empathy, innovation, new teamwork and new leadership.” She says that while all are important empathy is the most important. “In our increasingly interconnected world, one’s actions have a bigger impact on others and can create tremendous positive or negative outcomes in record time.”

Artificial intelligence

AI is not yet sophisticated enough to make empathetic decisions. An example in HR would be someone with an attendance problem. The rule says six absences and you are terminated. The AI can apply the rule and terminate people without human interaction. What humans are needed for right now, and at least for now, is weighing the reasons for the absences. One employee is a slacker another has a sick child at home. The robot makes no distinction, but the empathetic human can make an exception for the employee with the sick child.

That is a simplistic example and we could program the AI with the rules for exceptions, and we will eventually, but it will be awhile before AI can do it without us or as effectively as we humans in HR.

The future for your children

What training should we be giving children, our future employees? Obviously there should be a continuation of the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) but Damm also recommends teaching children empathy, innovation, new methods of teamwork and new methods of leadership that incorporate empathy. Damm even describes a school that is already working on that curriculum. You can find Damm’s article at SingularityHUB. The article is a bit long, but if you read it also read the comments. People can get pretty heated in discussing this. Damm does a great job of responding to the comments. One such comment summed her point of view quite well and is a good stopping point for my post as well, she said:

First we will see the loss of the repetitive jobs. Those are the jobs that are most easy for robots and artificial intelligence to replace. During that time, humans will be employed for non-repetitive jobs that require innovation. That is why it is important for us to invest in humans learning the changmaking skills right now. In addition, the changemaking skills are not just about being able to perform specific jobs, they are about being able to function in the new way society is organized, given the new technologies.

Omega HR Solutions, Inc. uses creative human resource solutions to provide answers to time, money and service issues with employers and their employees. Visit our Products and Services page for more information or contact us to learn how we can help your organization.

Interesting article. I’m unsure how reachable true singularity is, but it’s certainly the case that robots/computers will reduce the need for certain professions. I think that new jobs will be created but they will require a higher skill set. An interesting problem for the workforce of the future to solve.

I am considering pursuing a Master’s in Social Work or Master’s in Public Health in near future. Would you all say these are good fields that will be secure and in demand several decades from now with robots?

Also, what would you all say for jobs like yoga instructors, ESL teachers or anything in Environmental Sustainability?

Featured Time and Attendance Sponsor

Search Our Blog Here

About Mike Haberman

I have been in human resources for over 30 years, both as a practitioner and consultant. I am known as "THE HR COMPLIANCE GUY" and as an HR Futurist. I was named an "Influencer" to IBM's New Way to Work panel.

I co-founded Omega HR Solutions in late 2000, beginning operations January 2001. I am a senior HR consultant. I am also an instructor at the University of Georgia School for Professional Education teaching human resources management. Additionally, I present numerous webinars on a monthly basis.

My blog has been published over 10 years and I write for two other sites as well, Workology (formerly Blogging4Jobs) and eSkill. I have been a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) for over 20 years and I have been certified as SHRM-SCP from day one.

With my background, knowledge and experience I help guide companies through compliance issues today and help them prepare for the world of work tomorrow.

Certified Web Based Training

Upcoming ComplyArena HR Webinars

Mike's HR Webinar Schedule With ComplyArena:

Please follow the links and register for your seat today while they are available.

New webinars will be posted as soon as they are scheduled. Go to ComplyArena.com to find out more.

Upcoming Compliance World HR Webinars

Mike's HR Webinar Schedule With Compliance World:

Please follow the links and register for your seat today while they are available.

New webinars will be posted as soon as they are scheduled. Go to Compliance.world to find out more.

Upcoming TrainHR Webinars

Mike's HR Webinar Schedule With TrainHR:

July 18 1 pm Preventing mistakes in age discrimination.

Please follow the links and register for your seat today while they are available.

New webinars will be posted as soon as they are scheduled. Follow the link below to review past webinars as well as to see ones in the making. Go to www.TraninHR.com. to find out more.

HR Certification Opportunities

The next certification class I will be teaching will be:

September 2017

Information available at
http://www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/
courses/human-resources/

If you are in the Atlanta area and would like to explore certification as a Human Resources Professional check out these programs at UGA.